


Love isn’t meant to hurt

by AtPK



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Domestic Violence, Dubious Consent, M/M, Violence Against Androids (Detroit: Become Human), abusive!omc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 07:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20738450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtPK/pseuds/AtPK
Summary: Reed tells Connor that if someone slaps you around, they don’t care about you. It takes Connor a little while to realise that Reed is right. Love isn’t meant to physically hurt. You aren’t supposed to fear the person you love. Will Connor find love in the end?





	Love isn’t meant to hurt

**Author's Note:**

> Please heed the warns, there is dub-con and domestic abuse and graphic violence against androids — but there is also love <3

Connor didn’t know what he’d done wrong this time, as far as he was concerned the evening had been going swimmingly. Aidan got on well with everyone Connor introduced him to, including Hank; and if he was honest, Hank was the one person he feared wouldn’t like his boyfriend, but they just seemed to hit it off.

But now that they were alone, Aidan was angry, and Connor didn’t know what he’d done to warrant it. 

“Aidan?” Connor asked, trying again to turn him around so he could see the expression on his face. Aidan shrugged his hand off and continued to stare out the window. “Was it something I did? Won’t you tell me what it is, and we can talk about it.”

Aidan stiffened and then said to his reflection: “When were you going to tell me about you and Hank?”

“I don’t understand,” Connor started but Aidan rounded on him suddenly and Connor backed up a few steps from the aggression on his face. 

“Don’t try that one with me, Connor! I saw how you were together. I’m not blind. There’s something going on between you.”

Connor wanted to laugh but the look on Aidan’s face said he was serious. 

“No, Aidan.” Connor tried to explain. “Hank is my partner. We’re close — but not in that way.”

Aidan glared at him, and then lifted his hand and pushed Connor hard enough to knock him back a few more steps. 

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“No, Aidan.” Connor beseeched. “I’m sorry. I don’t think that. I’m just trying to —“

“Shut up, Connor.” Aidan snapped. “I don’t want to hear your lies.”

Connor’s brain threw up multiple replies but none of them would suitably allay Aidan’s suspicions. He didn’t know how to get Aidan to believe how ridiculous his accusations were.

“Aidan,”

Aidan stepped forward and Connor stepped back, his back pressing against the wall.

“I said, shut up.” 

Connor nodded.

The door to the function room opened and someone joined them in the anteroom. For a moment Connor couldn’t drag his eyes away from the burning anger in Aidan’s eyes, but when he did break the stare, it was to meet the hard gaze of Gavin Reed, of all people.

“Detective Reed,” Connor said by way of welcome and stepped away from the wall, putting some distance between himself and Aidan. 

Aidan’s expression instantly changed, the anger being replaced by recognition, and he turned, smiling.

“Gavin,”

Connor saw the recognition light in Reed’s eyes too and he visibly relaxed.

“Aidan, you sonavabitch.”

They grasped hands and slapped shoulders.

“It’s been, what? Five year?” Aidan asked.

“About that.” Reed answered.

“You’re in homicide now.”

“It was time for a change.”

“I bet Montgomery was pissed to see you go.”

Reed shrugged.

There was something in their exchange that was forced and awkward, as if a whole other conversation was being had between the words being spoken. Connor hovered behind Aidan, not sure whether he should stay or go until Aidan caught sight of him and reached back to pull him forward.

“You must know my boyfriend then?”

The shock in Reed’s eyes was short lived, but Connor was made to read the slightest of changes in expression; Reed looked from Aidan to Connor and back again, the question in his eyes. Connor glanced quickly at Aidan and saw the answering smirk just leaving his lips.

Reed shook his head.

And Connor felt the ground shift beneath his feet.

“We should get back to the party.” Connor coaxed, eager to get away from Reed and the unspoken conversation. 

“We wouldn’t want Hank to start worrying where you are, would we?”

Connor tensed at Aidan’s barbed question but forced himself to smile. 

“Have a good evening, Detective.” Connor said to Reed. 

“We should catch up.” Aidan said to Reed. “I’ll call you.”

“You do that.” Reed replied, but Connor got the distinct impression that the last thing Reed wanted to do was catch up with Aidan. 

***

Connor arrived at the precinct early the next morning, and found the bullpen unsurprisingly absent of officers. It had been quite the holiday season celebration the previous night and he didn’t expect to see anyone around until later.

He was glad it was quiet.

Pulling out his chair he sat down at his station and interfaced with the monitor, his mind racing. The argument with Aidan had continued once they’d got back to Aidan’s apartment and had escalated to the point where Aidan had hit him. Not hard. It had hardly even registered on his sensors. 

Connor reached up and touched the spot on his cheek where the ghost of the sting still lingered.

Aidan had apologised, begged for Connor’s forgiveness, promised that it would never happen again, explained that it was only because he cared for Connor so much that his jealousy got the better of him, but he’d try harder — it wouldn’t happen again. He’d been so gentle after, his words so tender, he’d made Connor feel good.

It wouldn’t happen again. 

Connor believed him.

His gaze drifted over to Reed’s desk, clear except for his name plate. It had been an unwelcome surprise that Aidan knew Reed, after all, Reed had never hidden his dislike of androids, and it stood to reason that his friends would feel the same way. 

Connor looked back at his monitor. 

Aidan had promised that it would never happen again.

Connor wanted to belief him.

The precinct slowly filled up and when Hank finally arrived, the work really began, and he didn’t have time to think about Aidan again, until Hank looked up and asked:

“You coming round for dinner later?”

It had become a familiar routine, every Wednesday, pizza and movie night, with Connor stretched out on Hank’s sofa, Sumo laying on top of him. 

“I don’t know if I can tonight, Hank. I have plans with Aidan.”

Hank nodded. “Next week then?”

“Yes.”

Connor didn’t have any specific plans with Aidan, he just didn’t want to argue with him again about his relationship with Hank. It felt wrong to lie to Hank, but it was probably the best thing for all of them.

He got the feeling that someone was staring at him, and looked over to catch Reed’s gaze. There was something knowing in his eyes and Connor looked away quickly, his cheeks tinged with heat.

***

It has been a peaceful week, and then wham! It had been his own fault, of course, he knew how jealous Aidan could get. He shouldn’t have been as friendly with the barista as he had been, but it was in his nature to put people at ease.

He’d had to get out of the apartment for a while, even though Aidan had begged him to stay, and so he found himself back in the precinct. He’d briefly thought about going to Hank’s but then he would have had to explain the cut on his cheek from where Aidan had punched him. 

It had been his fault, but he didn’t think Hank would understand that.

In another hour his healing protocol would have removed any evidence of his mistake, and at this hour, the bullpen should have been empty.

The lights in the break room were on and Connor heard the sputter of the coffee machine. A quick glance showed that the only desk with open case files was Reed’s.

He just managed to suppress his groan, when Reed stepped back into the bullpen. They stared at each other, Reed obviously displeased with finding Connor suddenly and unexpectedly in front of him. That knowing look appeared in Reed’s eyes again as he spotted the cut on Connor’s cheek, the blue blood on the collar of his shirt.

“What happened to your face?”

Connor looked away: “Nothing.”

Reed moved over to his desk and leaned back against it, crossing his arms.

“Oh, come on,” he chided. “You can do better than that.”

Connor looked back at him, but didn’t reply. He couldn’t face another argument so soon after the last one.

“How about, you tripped? Or you fell down the stairs? Or you bumped into a cupboard door?”

Connor felt the ground shift beneath him again, a feeling he was started to grow accustomed to. Reed was making fun of him, there was nothing unusual in that, but this time it struck something deep inside him and he knew that if he didn’t get out of there fast, he’d end up breaking down in front of Reed, and that was something he couldn’t let happen.

“Have a evening evening, Detective.” He said and then made a swift exit. 

Connor stopped in the parking lot and stared up at the sky trying to regain control of his thoughts and emotions. It was unfair that it should be Reed to see him at his weakest, he would have preferred almost anyone else. 

***

Connor was working in the file store, keeping out of Hank’s way. It was the third week in a row that Connor had cancelled their Wednesday night, and Hank was starting to ask questions. 

It was easier to hide than to explain; and he didn’t think he could explain, even if he tried. Aidan was good to him, he cared for him and made him feel special. As long as Connor didn’t do something stupid, everything was perfect. They were happy. He was happy. He just had to be careful not to do something stupid; only that was getting harder and harder with each passing day. 

Connor jumped slightly as a call came through and he hesitated before answering. Aidan never called him at work.

“Aidan, this is unexpected, is everything okay?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Yes, I think everything is okay.”

“Well, you’re wrong, yet again.”

Connor didn’t reply.

“I just got a call from Hank.”

“Hank?” Connor’s heart skipped a beat. “Why did Hank call you?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know, Aidan. Please,”

Aidan was angry and Connor didn’t know what to do to assuage the situation.

“He wanted to know why you aren’t going round for dinner tonight?”

“Oh,”

Connor really should have known that Hank wouldn’t just drop the subject; if he couldn’t get an answer from Connor, then the only other person to go to was Aidan.

“He wanted to know if I’d told you not to go.” Aidan paused. “What have you told him, Connor?”

“Nothing, Aidan.” Connor replied quickly. “I haven’t told him anything.”

The silence on the end of the line stretched on for an uncomfortable length of time, and with each second Connor’s fear cranked up.

“Okay,” Aidan said brightly, the anger gone from his voice, but Connor wasn’t fooled this time. “We’ll talk about it when you get home.”

“Aidan,”

“See you later, babe.”

And he hung up. 

Connor stood staring blankly at the files in his hands, before throwing himself into a complete reorganisation of the whole room. He was still in there when the precinct began to empty out at the end of the day, but he continued to work. 

It was gone eight thirty by the time he made his way back upstairs, and still he dragged his feet about going home. He knew what was waiting for him and he wanted to put it off for as long as possible. 

He spotted several empty coffee mugs on Hank’s desk, and picking them up he brought them into the break room, taking his time to wash them out. 

His hands were visibly shaking. 

Connor heard someone enter the room and head over to coffee machine, he didn’t look to see who it was, he didn’t want to make idle small talk.

The person moved to stand by one of the tables, and Connor knew that he’d have to turn around and face them at some point. He schooled his face into a smile and, placing the mugs on the draining board, turned around.

It was Reed. 

Again. 

It was always Reed.

Connor suddenly felt a spike of anger and the smile slipped from his face.

“Let me guess, you pissed of the boyfriend?” 

“Why would you think that?”

“You’re putting off going home.”

“No, I just have things to do.”

Reed glanced at the mugs on the draining board. 

“Sure.” He replied sardonically.

“I do have thing to do, Detective, so if you’ll excuse me.” Connor replied and made for the door. Reed stepped forward,blocking his way, and Connor flinched back a few steps.

Reed also took a step back, putting up his hands to placate him.

Reed stared at him, and he stared back.

“I’m gonna tell you something, and I want you to listen.” Reed stated. “If someone slaps you around, they don’t care about you.”

He left the room before Connor could compose himself enough to formulate an answer.

***

Connor needn’t have worried, Aidan was fine when he got home, he’d even gone to the trouble of emulating the Wednesday night Connor would have had with Hank, pizza and a movie, the only thing missing was Sumo.

Everything was okay.

Aidan wasn’t angry with him. 

He needn’t have worried. 

Aidan’s kisses were soft on his skin, and Connor didn’t resist when Aidan pushed him back, nipping at his neck, straddling his waist. Aidan’s hands were warm on his skin, and Connor sighed when Aidan’s fingers trailing down his torso.

The sudden clamp of Aidan’s hand around his neck, made Connor’s eyes shoot back open, but before he knew what was happening, Aidan had caught and twisted his thirium pump regulator free from his chassis. 

“Aidan?” Connor gasped.

“You’re fine, babe.” Aidan crooned. “You know you can last at least half an hour without this thing.”

He suddenly wished he’d never told Aidan about this particular upgrade. It might be true that he could do without it for a lot longer than previous, but that didn’t mean he wanted to put it to the test.

“Put it back!” Connor demanded, and Aidan’s fingers tightened around his neck. 

“You know I don’t like it when you talk to me like that, Connor.”

“I’m sorry,” Connor beseeched. “Please, Aidan, put it back.”

Connor made a grab for it but froze when Aidan threatened to throw it across the room. 

“I didn’t mean for Hank to call you.” Connor implored. “I haven’t told him anything. I promise, I haven’t.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, Aidan.”

“You’re always lying. You want to leave me, don’t you?”

“No, Aidan.”

“You’re such a lying little bitch.“

The punch hit him square in face and he felt something give in his nose, the blood suddenly flooding his mouth and making him choke. 

Aidan grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, pushing him face down into the cushions. Connor felt fingers pulling at his belt buckle, fumbling with the button on his jeans. 

Aidan braced himself against the arm of the sofa.

“I love you, Connor.” Aidan breathed into his ear. “I love you so much.”

Connor closed his eyes and watched the numbers slowly count down, as Aidan fucked him into the sofa.

***

Connor wasn’t able to concentrate; no matter how he tried to turn his mind to work, it kept returning to what had happened the night before. 

Hank knew something was wrong but Connor kept on avoiding his questions, even going so far as to leave the bullpen entirely a few times.

And now Hank was angry with him too!

It was a relief when the precinct started to empty out for the evening. He’d reserved one of the observation rooms earlier that day and when the lights dimmed down, he made his way to the allocated room, eager to enter stasis and not have to think about anything for a few hours at least. 

His plans were scuppered however when forty five minutes in his proximity sensors alerted him to someone in the room with him. 

He awoke his systems and opened his eyes, and Reed jumped back, obviously startled. 

“For fuck sake.” He hissed. “I thought you were —- I don’t know! Dead, or something.”

“No, Detective, I was in stasis.” Connor explained, wondering, and not for the first time, why Reed was here, again. At first he’d put it down to coincidence, but now, it seemed more like design. “It is like a sleep state, but I can understand why you might have been — “ worried? — “alarmed.”

Reed huffed a laugh and backed off a few more steps. 

“I wasn’t— whatever.” He turned and headed for the door. 

“Aidan said he loved me.”

Connor didn’t know why he’d said it, but it stopped Reed from leaving.

“Was that before or after he punched you?”

Connor swallowed, taking a deep breath, before answering honestly.

“After.”

Reed turned back towards him, a frown on his face.

“Why’re you telling me this?” There was a subtle edge of suspicion in his voice.

“I don’t have anyone else to tell.” Connor replied. “Hank wouldn’t understand.”

Reed crossed his arms and leaned back against the door jamb. 

“I think he’d understand just fine.”

“He’d be disappointed.”

“And that’s the wrong emotion. He’d spit nails and then go and rip your boyfriend a new one.”

Connor thought Reed was right.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Reed stared at him, and he stared back. 

“Let’s get one thing clear — we’re not buddies.”  Connor nodded.  “I’ll tell you what to do.”  After a moment, Reed continued.  “Slap him down, and walk away.”

“That’s not very helpful, Detective.”

Reed huffed another laugh and then stood away from the door.

“Have a good evening,  Detective .” Reed said, mimicking Connor’s tone and words perfectly, but this time it was Connor who had been dismissed, as Reed left the room. 

***

It had been three days and Connor was finally able to function properly again. He had declined all Aidan’s calls in that time and it had given him the time he needed to think. 

He had made up his mind.

He just didn’t know how to broach the subject with Aidan. 

Every time he thought about it his fear escalated and error warnings obscured his vision.

Connor was still trying to work out what to do when someone approached his desk. He looked up with a smile, thinking that it would be Hank, but his smile faltered when he saw Aidan.

Aidan never came to the precinct. This was meant to be his safe place. 

“Aidan, this is a surprise.”

Connor found his gaze darting to Reed’s desk, but he wasn’t there.

“Can we talk somewhere quiet?”

“Of course.”

Connor stood up, once again looking around to find Reed. He didn’t know why it mattered, it wasn’t as if Reed would do anything to help him, but it did matter. 

Aidan followed him out of the bullpen and down to the evidence room.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I just needed some time to think.”

“That’s not how adults act, Connor. Adults don’t just run away and hide when things get difficult.”

It was a sting to have Aidan chiding him as if he was a child.

“I just needed some time, Aidan.”

Aidan circled around him slowly, resting his hip against one of the console stations.

“So what did you need to think about?”

Connor hesitated. 

“I don’t think you’re good for me.”

Aidan laughed. 

“Babe, how do you know what’s good for you? You’re still new at this shit! You don’t know anything.”

“I know that you’ve hurt me.”

Aidan scoffed. 

“You’re an android. You can’t be hurt.”

It was another sting to have Aidan dismiss him so easily. 

“Maybe not physically, but you have hurt me, Aidan. Detective Reed said that if someone hurts you, they don’t care about you.”

Aidan suddenly looked interested.

“Gavin said that, did he? Well, I guess he’d know.”

“I don’t think I want to be with you anymore, Aidan.”

Now Aidan moved forwards, so fast that Connor tripped over his feet and almost fell in his desire to back away. Aidan laughed.

“You don’t get to decide that, babe. I don’t think you’ll do anything.”

Connor stared at him, wary and afraid. 

“It’s over, Aidan.“

Aidan slapped him, an open hand clap of his palm across Connor’s cheek. Connor’s eyes watered from the smart.

“Please, just go!”

Aidan pulled back his hand to hit him again, but before the punch landed, Aidan was shoved back away from him, and Reed was pummelling him in the face and chest. 

The last thing Connor expected from this encounter was to have to drag Reed off of Aidan and hold him back from continuing his attack. 

He’d seen Reed angry, but not like this. 

Aidan was laughed again, as he straightened up and wiped the blood from his spilt lip. 

“You weren’t kidding about having changed.”

“Get the fuck out of here, before I arrest your ass for assaulting an officer of the law.”

Aidan glared at Reed and then turned to Connor, who instinctively backed up a pace. 

“I’ll be seeing you, babe.”

And he left. 

***

Neither of them spoke, the only noise in the room being Reed’s harsh breaths as he tried to calm down. 

“Why did you do that?” Connor eventually asked, and Reed glared at him.

“You might not do anything, but I’m not just gonna stand there and watch someone slap you around.”

“Oh,”

Reed suddenly looked uncomfortable, like he’d said too much and instantly regretted it. 

Neither of them spoke, and the silence dragged on.

“Thank you,” Connor eventually said, and Reed stared at him. 

Connor didn’t know why he did it; perhaps it was the fact that Reed had been kind to him, had defended him; or perhaps it was only that he wanted to feel something other than fear; but he leaned in and pressed his lips against Reed’s. 

Reed’s breath hitched and he moved away. 

“I’m sorry!” Connor croaked, his throat closing up out of the sheer horror of what he had just done. Of course, Reed wouldn’t want to kiss him. Reed didn’t even like him. “I’m sorry.” He said again and stepped backwards away from Reed. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I’ll go!”

“Wait,” Reed said, but Connor continued to move towards the door, needing to get away from this awful, stupid, mess he’d made. “Connor.”

Reed caught his arm and Connor pulled away; Reed caught him again, and they fumbled awkwardly with each other, one trying to get away, the other trying to stop him, before Connor found himself wrapped in Reed’s arms. 

Connor froze.

“It’s okay,” Reed said.

And Connor relaxed into his warmth, clinging on to him like his life depended on it.

***

Connor moved back in with Hank, and it was fine — everything was good. He hadn’t seen or heard from Aidan since that incident in the evidence room. He only wished he didn’t still tense at every raised voice or flinch at an unexpected movement that could be a punch, but never was. 

Aidan was right, only in that Connor was new to understanding his emotions; but he knew what he wanted and what he needed. Aidan had confused him, had manipulated his inexperience. It was a lesson Connor had learned the hard way, and one he would never let happen again. 

In the end, Aidan had scared him.

In the end, Reed had made him feel safe.

Reed confused him too.

Connor reached up to put the glass he’d just dried into the cupboard and stepped back to almost trip over Sumo, who at some point had decided it was a good idea to lay down on the floor behind Connor. 

Smiling, Connor knelt down to stroke Sumo’s head. 

It was a strange comparison to make, but the warm softness suddenly brought back to mind the feel of Reed’s hair, and with it came the smell of Reed’s worn leather jacket, and the tight compact strength of Reed’s body as he held Connor. 

Sumo licked his hand and Connor stood up, shaking his head to rid himself of the memory. And it seemed the only thing his brain could fill the void with was Aidan telling him he was a lying little bitch.

He was glad when Hank finally returned from the grocery store, to distract him from his conflicting thoughts.

***

Things continued much the same way as they always did, apart from now he caught Reed staring at him more than before, and it didn’t make him feel uncomfortable.

Reed was working on a double homicide, a husband who had stabbed his wife and oldest son, leaving behind a daughter who had only survived because Reed had arrived on the scene moments before the husband could finish her off. It had been a blood bath, or so the talk in the precinct said.

Reed looked tired and, Connor thought, maybe the emotion was, haunted; if haunted was in fact an emotion. 

Getting up from his desk, Connor went into the break room, pulling a mug off the draining board and slipping it into coffee machine, only then realising that he had no idea how Reed liked his coffee. After a few uncertain seconds, he concluded that black would do just fine, and then doubted his decision for a few more seconds, before finally taking the mug out and bringing it over to Reed’s desk. 

“Detective,” Connor said. “You should take a break. You haven’t left your desk for five hours. It isn’t healthy.”

Reed looked up at him with a scowl, and then when he spotted the coffee, the look turned to confusion, and then just as quickly to suspicion.

“Is that for me?” 

“Yes,” Connor said, cleaning a space on his desk to put the mug down.

“Why the fuck are you making me coffee?”

Connor thought about that for a few beats of his heart and then shrugged a little. 

“It’s the least I can do.”

Connor felt the heat slowly filling his ears, and knew that they were probably flushed blue, and the knowledge made the heat rise in his cheeks. Reed looked at him and then the suspicion left his eyes and he seemed to relax a little.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Detective. You should really take a break.”

“Yeah, you said that already.”

But he didn’t make any move to leave his desk. Connor didn’t know what to do so he continued to stand there by Reed’s desk, running through scenarios.

Reed huffed and glared at him.

“Fine, okay, I’m going.”

Connor smiled, relieved that Reed had decided to take his advice.

“Very good, Detective.”

Reed shook his head, pushed back his chair, and stood up, stretching out the muscles in his arms and back; Connor didn’t mean to stare, but at the same time he couldn’t look away. 

“Later,” Reed said as he picked up his coffee and headed out of the bullpen. 

***

The next day Reed was late, only by ten minutes, but it was unusual enough for Connor to notice. A quick question to the front desk alerted him to the fact that Reed’s car was in the parking lot and so Connor went out to see if everything was okay.

Reed was sitting in the driver seat, his head resting on his crossed arms on the steering wheel. Connor hesitated for a moment before knocking lightly on the passenger side door. 

Reed turned his head and, seeing Connor, groaned and looked away again. Connor understood that feeling, he’d felt the same way about Reed turning up where he was, at those times when Connor was at his weakest.

“Detective, can I come in?”

“Knock yourself out.”

Connor opened the door and slipping into the seat beside Reed.

It was warm in the car compared to the ice outside and Connor adjusted his internal thermostat.

“Are you okay, Detective?”

“Perfect.” Reed replied, his face still hidden in his crossed arms.

“I am going to speculate that your current state has something to do with the case you’re working on, please let me know if I’m wrong?”

Reed stayed quiet.

“It is a difficult case.” Connor said after a little while of silence.

“What do you know about it?” There was an angry edge to Reed’s voice.

Connor felt stung but it didn’t dissuade him. 

“I do know something about domestic violence.”

Reed tensed and then almost imperceptible started to shake, a movement that Connor would have missed entirely if he wasn’t programmed to pick up the slightest changes in body language. 

“Can I ask you a personal question, Detective?”

Reed breathed out: “Do what you want.”

Connor hesitated before continuing.

“Aidan said something about you, that last day; he said that you’d know if someone hurts you, they don’t care about you. What did he mean?”

It was a question had been bothering Connor ever since Reed had first said it to him in the break room.

Reed sat back suddenly and the anger in his eyes made Connor pull back, suddenly afraid to be in such an enclosed space with such aggression. Reed saw him pull away, and his anger changed instantly to guilt.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Connor.” He looked down at his hands. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Connor replied, and it was true, he knew somewhere deep down that Reed wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. “I’m sorry too.”

Reed looked at him.

After a prolonged silence, where they both did nothing but stare at each other, Reed spoke.

“My dad was an asshole.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No, not me. My mum. She put up with it for years, just taking the beatings and then accepting the apologise. She believed it was her fault.”

He gave Connor that knowing look again, the one that had seen right through Connor.

“She used to make up excuses if she had to go to the hospital: she fell down the stairs, she walked into a cupboard door. It got ridiculous at the end but nobody ever asked any questions.”

His anger was back.

“One night, he did go after me, and that was it, she packed up and we left. He said he’d kill her if she left, but he didn’t get the chance. We were lucky, not like —-“

He trailed off and Connor knew he was thinking about his case. 

“I’m sorry you were given this case, Detective. It can’t be easy for you.”

Reed sighed and rubbed his eyes with the thumb and fingers of his right hand. 

“Time to start the day,” he said as he opened the door and climbed out of the car. 

Connor stared at the empty space he’d left behind, regretting that he hadn’t tried to comfort Reed in the same way Reed had comforted him. 

***

Hank had left early, and Connor had decided to stay a little longer and finish up his latest report; a part of him hoping that he might have another opportunity to talk to Reed, but it wasn’t meant to be and he left the precinct a bit after five thirty and jumped on the bus. 

It was busy, as to be expected at this time in the evening, and he didn’t notice Aidan until he stepped off at his stop and Aidan jumped off with him. Connor turned to see who it was so close behind him but before he could say anything, he felt the shock of electricity shoot through him and his system overloaded; another shock sent him down to his knees and a knee to his face brought the blackness of shutdown.

Connor became aware of the warning errors, telling him that he had been compromised, that he was damaged. It was then that he remembered Aidan and the bolts of electricity. Before he opened his eyes, his proximity sensors told him he was surrounded, and when he did open his eyes he saw the men standing around him in a lose circle. Aidan was in front of him.

Connor tried to stand up but Aidan pressed the button on the weapon in his hand and the electricity sparked and sizzled.

“Stay where you are, babe.” Aidan said and Connor did as he was told.

“Aidan, what is happening? Where am I? Who are these people?”

Aidan smiled, but there was nothing reassuring about it, if anything it was predatory.

“These are my friends, Con. I was going to introduce them to you but you decided to end things before I got the chance.“ Heglanced past Connor’s head at someone behind him, a slight sneer on his lips. “They were very disappointed they didn’t get a chance to meet you.”

Connor took in his surrounding and the ground shifted beneath his feet as he recognised the building. It was an abandoned office building. The scene of multiple android murders. Connor could see the scorch marks on the ground from where they’d been set alight.

The fear tore through him and he tried to send out a message but Aidan grabbed his face and jammed the weapon against his forehead, scrambling his communication systems. He had no way of knowing if the message got through or not. He had no idea if help would come.

“Who were you trying to contact, Connor? Hank?” There was amusement in his voice and his eyes laughed. 

“Aidan?” He asked, hating the slight quiver in his voice. “I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t, babe.” Aidan laughed. “You’re really quite dumb for such an advanced model. Did you really think I loved you?”

“I don’t understand.” Connor said again, trying to make sense of the situation he was in.

“Sure, I was curious just how far you’d let me push you. You let me get away with more than some of the others. Little bitch slut.”

Connor flinched at both his words and the laughter from some of the other men around him. 

“Why are you doing this?”

Aidan crouched down in front of him, bringing the weapon close to his face.

“Because I can, babe.” 

The electricity shot through him again, and his body convulsed on the bare concrete floor, his system once again overloading. 

Hands were on him, pulling him up to his knees, he heard the clink of a chain and then the cold metal wrapping around his wrists. He struggled to get free but there were too many of them and he was weakened.

Connor was yanked up by the chain until his toes were barely able to touch to ground, and he hung there helplessly in front of them.

“Aidan,” Connor hated the pleading note to his voice. “Please don’t do this.“

Gasoline was splashed on his clothes, in his face, over his head, and he chocked as if went in his mouth and down his throat. He clenched his eyes closed but the warning alerts still flashed up telling him that his optical units had been corroded by the toxins. He opened his eyes but couldn’t see anything.

“Aidan, please, let me go!” Connor begged and heard the laughter around him again. 

“Aww, babe, don’t beg. You’re pathetic enough as it is.”

“Please! Please, don’t do this. Aidan, please!”

Connor didn’t want to die, not like this, not at all! 

He heard the strike of a match and smelled the flame. 

“No!” He yelled. “Aidan, no!”

“It’s okay, babe, you can’t feel pain, remember?”

The flame caught on his clothes. 

“No, no, no —-“ Connor couldn’t hear his voice. “Please no! Please, let me go! Please, please, no —-“

The flames kissed his cheek.

Hands were on him, lifting him, lowering him to the ground, the flames were suffocated by soft worn leather.

“Connor?”

“Gavin?” Connor sobbed in reply.

“It’s okay, I’m here.”

“I didn’t know if my message had got through. I didn’t know if you’d come.”

“I’m here, you’re okay.”

“I can’t see.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“Gavin,”

“I’m here.”

***

Connor opened his eyes, but still couldn’t see anything. His proximity sensors told him that someone was nearby.

“Is someone there?” He asked the blackness.

“Yeah,”

It was Gavin. 

Connor felt a sudden surge of relief that Gavin was still there.

“What happened to Aidan? To the others?”

“You got them.”

“Technically, they for me. You got them.”

“We got them.” Gavin corrected. “It turns out the fuckers have been doing this for months. Aidan was the one fooling the androids into thinking he loved them and then when he’d had enough of playing with them, he and his mates would set them alight, and watch them burn.”

“I think I hate him.”

“Don’t just think it, know it, own it. Hate him!”

“He could have gone for anyone,” Connor said.

“They deliberately targeted you. They knew you were the android detective responsible for crimes against androids. They wanted to get rid of you.”

Connor stared into the blackness.

“I still can’t see, Gavin.”

“Yeah, they had to send off for the right colour eyes.”

“I didn’t think they’d care.”

“They didn’t. I insisted.”

“Oh.”

There was an awkward silence.

“I like the colour of your eyes too, Gavin.”

The awkward silence stretched on.

“Maybe I should go —“

“No, please stay!” The suddenly desperation in Connor’s voice took him by surprise.

“Okay, I won’t go anywhere.”

Connor relaxed back against the sheets. 

“Gavin,” Connor started and then paused, not sure if he should continue, but needing to know for sure if Gavin felt the same way he did. “Will you kiss me?”

Gavin’s breath hitched and his heartbeat sped up.

“Do you want me to?” Gavin sounded unsure, but also hopeful.

“Yes.”

Connor’s proximity sensors told him Gavin was moving closer, and then he felt Gavin’s lips brush his, so gentle that for a moment Connor was overcome with emotion; so much emotion, he couldn’t work out what he was feeling.

“I think you would be good to me, Gavin.”

Gavin stroked his cheek, where the flames had touched him earlier. Connor didn’t know what the damage to him was but it was reassuring that whatever it was, it meant nothing to Gavin.


End file.
